The head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, informed staff on Wednesday of a major restructuring that will nearly halve the agency’s executive management team due to substantial funding cuts from the United States.
In a brief internal email, seen by AFP, Tedros announced that the new executive team would consist of six members, down from 11, and would assume duties starting June 16.
Two key figures in WHO’s COVID-19 response — emergencies director Mike Ryan and Bruce Aylward, who led efforts toward universal health coverage — will be stepping down.
“Mike planned to leave over two years ago but stayed on at my request, and I am very thankful for that,” Tedros said in a follow-up message, noting Ryan’s vital leadership during the pandemic.
Among those staying on is Jeremy Farrar, a British medical researcher and former head of the Wellcome Trust. He will become assistant director-general overseeing health promotion and disease prevention. Farrar’s current role as chief scientist will be taken over by French physician Sylvie Briand, who currently heads the agency’s Pandemic and Epidemic Diseases Department.
Last month, Tedros warned member states that the organization would need to reduce staff and scale back operations due to a funding shortfall created by U.S. budget cuts. The United States, the WHO’s largest donor, contributed $1.3 billion for the 2022–2023 budget, primarily through voluntary project-based contributions. However, it failed to pay its 2024 dues and is not expected to contribute in 2025.
In April, Tedros revealed that the WHO is confronting a “salary gap” of between $560 million and $650 million for the 2026–2027 period. While the number of job losses remains unspecified, the most immediate effects are expected at WHO headquarters in Geneva, particularly among senior management.
Although further cuts are not anticipated right away, the matter is expected to dominate discussions at the WHO’s upcoming annual assembly.
What you should know
The WHO’s downsizing, driven by significant U.S. funding cuts, marks a turning point in global health leadership.
The departure of figures like Mike Ryan and Bruce Aylward and the internal restructuring signal major operational shifts just as global health threats remain a top concern.
ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM VERILY NEWS
